The Clock Ticks Slow
by xXGrasshopperXx
Summary: What if Aro decided that Reneesme should be killed? Jacob runs away with her, and they start a new life. He has to take care of her, and as she gets older, live with her boyfriends. Will he manage it? And will time heal the wounds pain inflicted on them?
1. Aro Decides

**My darling readers, how are you today? **

**This is my first twilight fanfiction, so don't be too hard on me…I think Jacob is utterly awesome, and I think Stephenie Meyer really ended the story much too happily, so put it all together and what do you get?**

**Let's go along with my thingy and see how it ends ok?**

**Disclaimer: I have no claim on Twilight.**

_**Aro Decides**_

"I suppose I cast the deciding vote then."

Aro's feathery voice was still calm and amiable, but it seemed threatening to me.

My heart was pounding with rage and fear. All our lives depended on this filthy, power-hungry bloodsucker's choice. Particularly the life that mattered the most.

I could hear her heart flutter away like a frightened bird. Her little hands were grasping my fur, just as hot as my body. I wanted to phase back into my human shape so that I could cradle her in my arms and comfort her. But how could I comfort her when I could barely hold myself together? I felt her lay her head into my fur. She was afraid. A growl rumbled through my throat. Edward suddenly hissed. The menacing sound echoed through the clearing. I turned my face to his, fearing the worst. And I could see it. Though his face was still composed, I could see the raw fear in his eyes. He barely turned to look at me. But I heard his words.

"Run, Jacob!" They were low enough that only the ones nearest to him could hear. I saw Bella's shoulders tense. She turned to Edward with a frenzied expression on her face. He gave her the most imperceptible of nods. That was enough for me. I was creeping away backwards, waiting for the woods to give me cover so that I could flee. Flee to save her life. My Renesmee…

As I backed away, I heard Bella call to me, very quietly.

"Jacob…" Her voice wrapped around my name like a caress. I felt my heart wrench in her direction. But the stronger, more powerful pull was in the other direction, to save my Nessie.

"Jacob, take care of my little one…" A huge tear slipped down my furry face as I reached the darkness of the woods, turned around and started running as I'd never run before- for this time it was not for me, but for her.

I heard the battle begin behind me, but I did not pause. I heard the battle-cries and smelt the smoke, but I did not look back. I heard Edward's scream of rage, but I carried on, trying hard not to think of what the cause might be. I could not go back- I was saving Nessie.

Long after the sounds of the battle faded behind me, Edward's scream echoed on in my head. I couldn't bear the thought that something might have happened to Bella and that I might have saved her if I was there. So I didn't. I concentrated of the regular thumping of my soft paws on the forest floor.

After a while Nessie was showing me pictures. Bella and Edward first. A lot of them. Always with a question. Would she ever see them again? Would they be hurt in the battle? Could we save them? Would they win? Would they be able to find us if they won? Was this her fault?

The last uncertain, guilty question made me growl deep in my throat. It pained me to think that she would blame herself for this one day. Soon she wasn't asking questions about them anymore. She just flicked through memories of them, showing me as well. I could feel her sorrow, and it made me even sadder. I tried not to see her memories, but they each hit me like an icy dagger to my heart. There were a lot of the Cullen family, a few of Charlie, but most of Bella: Bella stroking her cheek, Bella cradling her in her arms, Bella reading her a story, Bella kissing her nose, Bella laughing- like bells pealing through the air.

Oh! The pain! It felt like someone had ripped my heart out of my chest and was tearing it apart, slowly, sadistically, bit my bit. Each memory ripped the pieces further. Tears were flowing thick and fast down my face. I had thought it was bad to lose Bella to Edward. It was worse to think that I might have lost her forever. Would I ever see her again? I didn't think so. The dagger stabbed harder. I was suddenly exhausted, though I had no reason to be tired. My run was no longer smooth; I was jolting forward- just as fast, but very unevenly. But then I felt a little hand stroking my fur, comforting me. The memories were no longer coming. Slowly I regained focus. I had to do this. For Nessie.

I carried on running, focusing on the movements and retreating deep inside myself. After a while, more pictures started coming. But this time the questions behind them were curious, rather than filled with pain.

Where were we going? Was it far away? Would she like it there? Would we be eating soon?

I suddenly realised how long I had been running. Lost in my pain, I had not thought that Nessie would be hungry. Come to think about it, I was hungry too. I slowed to a halt. Nessie understood, and slid off my back. She touched me, showing me her memory of our last hunting competition, but I shook my head slightly. I could tell her heart wasn't in it either. Neither of us was in the mood for fun and games, with our loved ones left so far behind. I started off into a slower run than before, keeping pace with Renesmee. I let my mind be taken over by my wolf-side, allowing my senses to rule me. It was better this way- not having to face the pain. I would have stayed wolf forever, if not for Nessie. I had to take care of her, give her a normal human life. Well- as normal and human as a half-vampire's life could be…

I pounced on my prey, knocking it out with a clean blow to the head. I ripped its head off with all the fury of one who has lost too much. I tore each chunk of meat off violently, channelling all my rage into the hunt. When I was done, I looked at Nessie. She was standing watching me with an impassive face. Her dress was totally spotless- she bore no sign at all of the meal she had just eaten- or rather sucked.

"Let's go Jacob." Her voice. Aaaaah… the most beautiful sound in the world. Suddenly my pain diminished. Her voice acted as a balm for my wounds. I looked into her eyes, and I knew I could do this- I could live the rest of my life, even be happy- if only I was with her. She reached out her hand towards me, and I took a step forward. She climbed onto my back in one swift smooth movement. And then I took off- running towards our new life.


	2. The Clearing

**Here you go again! Too short? I apologize profusely…=P**

**The Clearing**

I was lying on the ground, staring into the darkness.

I couldn't close my eyes, because all I would see was Bella. I had tried it once, but the assault of images was too hard to bear. Even as a wolf, the pain was too keen.

So I lay there with Nessie resting against me.

I could hear her regular breathing, and the flutter of her heart. Those sounds were all that held me to this earth. If she were not there, I would surely have gone mad.

My every sense was strained for any indication of danger.

My nerves were on edge. Every crackle from the forest around us sounded like a footstep. The wind rustling through the trees was a hiss of anger. The moon itself was a searchlight- what a beautiful enemy.

Nessie was asleep. I wondered what she was dreaming about…

Would she ever be happy? Would Bella and Edward eventually disappear from her dreams?

I felt her shudder slightly against me, and I curled round her tighter, trying to protect her from her own fear. She was murmuring something. I couldn't quite catch it.

Was she having nightmares? How would I ever save her from those? She was just a child…

An orphan? Was she an orphan? Had her parents survived the battle? Would they come after us? Or would it be the others- those evil blood-suckers who wanted my Nessie. Who would either kill her or enslave her. I growled involuntarily. Losing Nessie was unthinkable; being without her would be death itself. If it came to that, I would die saving her- there was no doubt about that. But it couldn't come to that! Dying for her, while more tolerable than living without her, wasn't enough if I couldn't save her in my death.

I had to do more. It could never come to an encounter with them. And if it meant leaving everything I knew- forever- then that was what I would do, without hesitation.

It would cause me pain, of course. Though Nessie was the centre of my universe, my universe extended beyond Nessie, and I couldn't forget everything so easily.

Memories of my pack filled my head. My brothers- we shared a bond which could never be forged between anyone else by time or by love. The way the same things made us laugh, the same things made us mad, the way we shared each others' pain…it would never be the same.

And then there was Billy. I pictured my dad, sitting alone in that little house, his deep eyes filled with a sorrow which would never disappear. Who would take care of the old man? I'd probably never see his big reassuring self again. I had to accept that.

A big sigh escaped me. It made the dead leaves on the floor of the clearing float into the air and then drift back down again.

I suddenly felt fatigued, and my eyelids drooped shut. It was as if the sight of the passive leaves had made me feel that I couldn't fight anything anymore, even my exhaustion. I gave in, and my last bittersweet thought was that at least Bella would visit me tonight.


	3. Dreaming of Bella

**I think this chapter has a certain charm…and I've tried to make this dream a little more realistic than Stephenie Meyer's ones, which are way too normal and clear-cut. I tried to make it a little awla-jhawla…I mean…messed up :D Have fun…**

**A Visit from Bella**

Bella did visit me that night. Again and again and again.

I had no respite from the images. But that meant that thankfully, my dreams did not allow that dagger a second in between to stab at my heart.

I saw Bella as she was when I first saw her on the beach. Ivory skin, chocolate brown eyes, smiling at me. That was when I first wanted her. She looked so delicate, as she winked at me in my dream, murmuring sweet nothings that my subconscious supplied her with. We sat on a driftwood tree together, and I was happy for those few moments. This was Bella when she was unbroken, a Bella who was addicted to neither Edward nor me. I dreamed of her, probably smiling in my sleep.

Then I saw Bella, broken, zombie-like. Bella, clutching to me for support. Bella, trying to hold herself together as that hole where her heart should be ate away what was left of her. She was disappearing so I grabbed her and held her. But she was going blurry around the edges. No! I yelled and swore but it was useless. She was just a wraith. Bella! Bella!

"I love you, Jacob," she whispered. And now I was helpless. For I knew what was next. "But not enough." She sounded as if the words hurt her. I could hardly see her now. She was fading away…

And suddenly she turned hard in my arms. Her skin was icy marble. The smell which rose from her was sweet, too sweet- it burned my nose. Her face was perfect, every feature flawless. But those chocolate eyes I loved were gone. She watched me with crimson eyes and smiled seductively. I smiled back, for I was happy she had not disappeared. But the happiness was bitter, for this was not my Bella I held, it was Edward's.

And now my Bella was back- soft, vulnerable and utterly irresistible. She threw her arms around me. Her eyes were filled with terror as she looked up at me frantically.

"Jake! She's coming! Run!" I could see a figure walking through the trees which had appeared around us. The flaming hair was a dead give-away.

I snatched up Bella into my arms and kissed her.

"I'll protect you." I murmured. She was pushing me in the opposite direction to the figure, which had now emerged from the trees. As Victoria snarled, my Bella transformed into Edward's and leapt at the other vampire.

Now I was lying in my bed staring out of the window. Bella came in through the door. She was more beautiful than her human self, but she smelt like _my_ Bella. And as she kissed me softly on my greedy lips, her lips felt like rose-petals rather than marble.

My body, ever-hungry for hers, reacted to her kiss. Her skin was cold against mine, as I pulled her to me, but I didn't care. My lips were everywhere, and she gasped my name.

And then _he_ was there.

"Edward," she whispered. He beckoned and she, of course, answered his call. His very name had tremors shaking my body. I couldn't control myself, the wolf took over, and I threw myself at him. Bella, silly Bella, jumped in between us, and her fragile body fell to the ground, crushed. I stared at her broken body, seeping blood from a hundred wounds.

I could see the thirst raging in his black eyes. He pounced on her.

I roared with fury- Bella's pain was mine. Her name was on my lips as I leapt on him. He looked up, and the black of his eyes consumed me. I felt like I was falling, falling…

"JAKE!" Even loud and exasperated, her voice was music. It called to me, pulled me out of the cold black water which would surely be the death of me. I grasped at her voice like a lifeline, as sleep made my eye-lids heavy and my nightmares tried to reclaim me.

She called my name again, softer, this time, as she saw me stirring. She sounded like Bella, except more addictive, more attractive, and harder to resist. She was so young, yet the underlying sorrow in her voice made her sound so mature. I struggled against the manacles of sleep, trying so hard to open my eyes- desperate to see her face.

"Jake, wake up!" Finally, my body obeyed me, and I was able to wake up properly. I stretched and yawned, and was suddenly surprised by Nessie's laugh. I licked her face by way of a greeting. At first I could see she was a little startled. But then, in one of those mood changes characteristic of her, she bounced up and threw her arms around me.

A little later, she was melancholy, wandering around the clearing, staring into the surrounding forest. I lay silently on the ground, watching her.

Finally she came and sat in front of me, her strangely-wise brown eyes staring into mine. Those chocolate brown eyes, so reminiscent of Bella's. She reached out and touched me, communicating her thoughts.

She wanted to know what we were going to do next, where we were going to go. I didn't know myself. So far I had just followed my instincts to put as much distance as possible between Nessie and those bloodsuckers. But now I had to plan. The prospect didn't excite me. I was never very good at planning. I tended to act on impulse.

But I could hardly do what I liked now, when every move of mine might endanger Nessie. And anyway, if I could do what I liked, I would go back to that field and finish off every last bloodsucker- except Bella of course…it was hard to think of Bella as a bloodsucker.

However, that was out of the question, and I needed to focus. Focusing was hard when images form my dream kept appearing in my head and messing up my train of thought. But I tried.

It didn't work. I started thinking about the dreams again. I wondered why my mind was confusing my heart. I didn't love Bella anymore. Did I? No. All those feelings of desire had disappeared when I first saw Nessie. I figured that these dreams were my last goodbye to Bella before I devoted my entire life to her daughter- to keeping her safe and happy. Except….I had a feeling this wasn't the last time I'd see Bella at night. I had a feeling that Bella would haunt me for a very long time, perhaps until time weakened her presence in my mind, as my memory of her faded.

I sighed with frustration. Planning really wasn't my thing. I supposed I'd have to go with the flow- just run until I found a town, stay there for a while, then run on again, until I was far enough away that the echoes of Edward's last furious scream stopped disturbing my peace of mind.

I loped over to Nessie and waited for her to climb onto my back. She watched me for a moment, emotions flitting across her face to fast for me to catch anything. Then she jumped on my back, and I took off, chasing the wind as it led us away from danger.

**BOOM!**

**No, Jacob isn't still in love with Bella. However, his mind remembers a time when he was, so it keeps confusing him with dreams. He's gonna be pretty down over the next few…well…as long as I can bother to keep it up. **

**Xxx**


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